Gaming machines which provide players awards in primary or base games are well known. Gaming machines generally require the player to place or make a primary or base wager to activate the primary or base game. In many of these gaming machines, the award is based on the player obtaining a winning symbol or symbol combination and on the amount of the primary or base wager (e.g., the higher the wager, the higher the award). Symbols or symbol combinations which are less likely to occur usually provide higher awards.
Side bets or side wagers are also known in gaming machines. Side bets enable a player to place one or more wagers on one or more aspects of a player's gaming experience which is in addition to any primary or base game wager. In one form, a side bet is directed to a specific feature or function that the player desires, such as a side wager on a bonus game, a side wager to be eligible to win a progressive award or a side wager on the result of another game being played by another player at another gaming machine.
Sports betting is also known. In general, sports betting is the activity of predicting results of sporting events and placing a wager on the outcome of such sporting events. According to The Statistics Portal, the total amount wagered on sporting events at Nevada sports books in 2012 was $3,450,000,000.00. Despite this market, many gaming machine players are not involved in the sports betting experience. Some players find it a nuisance of having to place such sports bets and redeem any winnings for such sports bets at a designated location in the gaming establishment (i.e., a casino's sports book). Some players have a difficult time remembering that a sporting event is currently taking place and/or do not want to interrupt their gaming machine wagering session to place a sports bet at the casino's sports book.
There is a continuing need to provide new and different gaming systems as well as new and different ways to provide awards to players utilizing sports bets.